The military has a need for power for electrical equipment that is used in the field. This includes directly powering equipment and charging batteries. Examples of equipment are GPS receivers, radios and computers.
Remote military bases, possibly in hostile territory, require camouflage to mask their operations.
Currently power is provided by diesel generators. This requires the constant transport of fuel that leads to casualties in the fuel convoys. Diesel generators are noisy and a single generator leaves a remote base vulnerable to power disruptions.
Camouflage has been used for military equipment and positions. An example of a device for camouflaging military equipment consisting of a frame with several arms is described in European Patent 0 834 053 B1, the contents of which are fully incorporated by reference.
Portable solar power systems are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,501, the contents of which are fully incorporated by reference, describes a system that can fold around a trailer making it convenient to transport to its destination. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2012/0249049, the contents of which are fully incorporated by reference, describes a system for vending machines with solar panels and an energy storage device.
Conformable solar panels are also known. European Patent No. 1 987 547 B1, the contents of which are fully incorporated by reference, describes a flexible solar panel for railway vehicles. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0185651, the contents of which are fully incorporated by reference, describes a flexible solar panel with a multilayer film for building applications.
Transparent solar panels and solar cells are also known. European Patent Application Publication No. 2 498 301 A1, the contents of which are fully incorporated by reference, describes a multilayered composite sheet for transparent solar panels. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0017280, the contents of which are fully incorporated by reference, describes a partially transparent solar panel.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0173345, the contents of which are fully incorporated by reference, describes a product in which the solar cells are segmented into small panels and attached to a wire net to produce an ivy effect on buildings.
None of the aforementioned solar power systems meet the needs of military operations in which the solar system must be minimally visible, conform to a plethora of shapes and be easily deployed and moved.